Although Plainsboro Public Library has hosted Chinese New Year celebrations since 2001 and each one becomes more elaborate, this year’s event on Saturday, February 19, will mark a milestone: the library has purchased its own Chinese Dragon. Jin Huo Long, called Goldfire in English, was purchased in the Old Town God Temple Marketplace in Shanghai and arrived in Plainsboro in January after a seven-week journey.##M:[more]## He — and dragons are always male — will be presented with his certificate of naturalization by Plainsboro Mayor Peter Cantu at the start of the event.
Goldfire, a golden haired dragon with green eyes, is 30 feet long and weighs almost 47 pounds. “We wanted a dragon for a long time,” says librarian Karen Shiau. “When the students canceled the dragon dance performance at the last minute last year, we had to get a Lion Dance instead.” When Wei Gao, a library staff member, visited China last fall, library director Jinny Baeckler asked her to seek an “appropriate creature” for purchase. “After I had rejected several dragons by phone and E-mail, I knew that had she had found the perfect one when I didn’t hear from her for a few days,” says Baeckler.
The festivities begin with an outdoor presentation by Plainsboro Huaxia Chinese School’s 20-member marching drum corps followed by the debut of Jin Huo Long under the direction of Eric Shiau and the Plainsboro Library Dragon Dance Team. The dragon will weave and gyrate following the pearl (its treasure) through the plaza on nine delicate bamboo poles high above the crowd. James Lee from the Plainsboro Post Office will play the drums during the performance.
“The dance team requires 10 people in order to rehearse the nine formations,” says Shaiu. “They must be ready to run, jump, dance, and be physically coordinated. Most are adults and only three are women.”
As far as anyone knows, Goldfire is the first Chinese dragon in Plainsboro. “The cost, about $500, was raised from the sale of Chinese books sold last year,” says Baeckler. “A publisher in Arizona heard about the library’s dedication to community enrichment of Chinese culture and donated $10,”000 in books.”
In other events at the library that day the Huaxia Chinese School presents a children’s dance, “Tiny and Playful Water Droplets,” choreographed by Mei Li; a martial arts demonstration by Wenxuan Cui; and a Taiji demonstration with senior students of Naihao Shiau. The Huaxia Oriental Dance Troupe members, Mei Li, Ru Shen, Ann Zhong, Yianqui Lin, and Hong Fan, present a Chinese folk dance, “My Beautiful Home Town.”
Princeton Chinese Language School students present performances including “Dance of Joy” choreographed by Tracy Wang and Chistina Yang, and “Chinese Yo-Yo” with Edward Huang, Benedict Yuan, Jason Tan, Benjamin Hong, Petes Maa, and Spencer Lin, using the Chinese Yo-Yo.
Asian Food Market staff present hands-on opportunities to explore Chinese cooking. Other interactive activities include Chinese calligraphy with Bixing Zheng and Jack Liang; paper cutting with Allison Kwok; Chinese knotting with Kristin Pe, Stephanie Lon, Katherine Fu, Shirly Liang, Susan Liao, and Terese Hu; and Go with Bruce Ladendorf and Lionel Zhang.
GoldFire will also pose for photographs with family groups outside the municipal court room. The courtroom is also the arena for non-stop showing of performances and celebrations recorded on video from New Year’s celebrations in China.
The ping pong championship match will be held in the municipal building from 5 to 6 p.m. The matches, which began last month, have been coordinated by Jurong Yu. A trophy will be awarded by Mayor Cantu at the completion of the tournament.
At the same time, back at the library, families can play games including pick up M&Ms with chopsticks, ring toss, dominoes, Red Fish, Go Fish, and Stick the Ears on the Panda Bear.
Red envelopes, a favorite Chinese New Year’s tradition, will be distributed by Plainsboro Mayor Peter Cantu, Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein, Plainsboro resident Ilene Dube, Baeckler, School Board member Liyou Yang, and Iris Chang. Traditionally filled with gifts of money, the golden coins will be filled with chocolate. Also available are mounds of oranges fulfilling the traditional fare.
The library has one of the largest Mandarin collections in the area and an expanding collection of videos and CDs. It also boasts a major collection of English language books about Chinese art and Chinese translations of classic American authors — all good company for its new found dragon.
— Lynn Miller
Chinese New Year Celebration, Plainsboro Public Library, Municipal Complex, 641 Plainsboro Road, 609-275-2897. Celebrate the Year of the Rooster with traditional customs, art, dances, games, etc. 3 to 6 p.m.
